Running back in the cave the young American looked for evidence that would indicate that the small finger tracks had gone that way. The back of the cave, which they had not previously investigated, ran up against a big pile of boulders and seemingly came to an end.
“These tracks,” he finally said to Joan in a hushed voice, “were probably made by those cricket-like animals that attacked the Aerolite. If so——”
“They have twelve hands and no feet. With their front hands they hold their weapons, and are also able to use their four leg hands as feet and hands.” She shivered. “It’s ghostly; it gives me the all-overs. They came in here, captured Billy and disappeared in the air.”
“I reason the same way,” Epworth agreed. “But what are we going to do? We must do something to help Billy.”
“Find out where they went and follow them.”
“Rather large order.” Epworth grinned dryly. “There may be two million of them.”
“They didn’t go back into the cave,” Joan insisted heatedly; “consequently they must have come up around the mountains and slipped up on Billy.”
“Then they discovered him while we were at the Aerolite, and have taken him to the northern range of hills—where they carried Toplinsky.”
“Sounds likely.”
“Then it is me for the north. You go to the Aerolite, and wait until I come back. I will make a thorough search in my glider.”